Draco Malfoy stared at the woman before him. How could she look so polished? How was she so beautiful, after being on the run? She smiled at her son, standing.

After realizing he had dropped his wand, he summoned it wordlessly. Pointing it at the women he loved more than anything, he narrowed his eyes.

“You had a role in the final battle that no one knows about, not even father knew. What was it?” Draco eyed her warily.

“You’re acting like Mad-Eye…”

“Answer the question, mum.”

“Draco,” Her voice almost brought the tears again. He swallowed hard and held his wand firm. Shed sighed, clearly annoyed. “When Lord Voldemort made me determine if Harry Potter was indeed dead, I lied and said he was, because he told me you were still alive.”

Draco’s wand dropped to his side. He was choking on the tears, in the back of his throat, but he shook them away.

“How are you here, you’re not supposed to be here.”

“Hardly a warm welcome,” She said.

“Not like that mum, you know I’m beyond words to see you, knowing your well.”

“I’m here to stay.” Narcissa smiled.

“How”

“Potter” She said, “He kind of owed me a favor, just took him awhile to get it all cleared up.”

Draco’s mouth fell open. She went to the Minister? She went to Potter? Ugh. “You walked willing into the hands of the Minister of Magic.”

“Potter is an understanding man, he was hardly about to send me to Azkaban after I saved his life and helped him to save everyone else. He helped me go into hiding, he was the Secret Keeper.”

If Draco’s mouth was hanging open in shock before, now it hit the floor, “He was your Secret Keeper! I’m your son!”

“Yes, well, you thought Lucius...”

“Dad didn’t even know where you were!?”

“Come off it, Draco, you know as well as I do that Potter would never have given away my position. I visited your father frequently, and he agreed that it was for the best that you not know my location. After all, you are the Head of the Aurors, it’s not like they wouldn’t try to slip you something to give away where I am.”

“He’s the Minis...”

“I know. But no one would dare slip anything into Potters’ drink, it’d be simply mad.”

“Geez mum, thanks for the confidence.” He narrowed his eyes, about to move when he froze. She walked towards him and rested her hand on the side of his face.

“I love you too much to put you in that predicament”

That’s when the tears came.

He cried; cried for his father, cried for barely having a mother any more. His mothers’ small frame hugged him. He cried because she was finally back into his life. He clung to her as if she were the last person in his world. Then he let a few tears out for Hermione and how stupid their condition was, how utterly impossible.

With that thought crossing his mind, he straightened and looked at his mother, whose eyes were slightly swollen red from crying before. He hadn’t noticed that.

“Did you know?” Draco asked her. He knew she knew what he was asking, but she feigned innocence.

“Know what?”

“Father… his… he… mum he made her…” He sighed, so angry that he couldn’t get the words passed his lips. “Hermione Granger made an unbreakable vow on fathers last night alive. I’m sure you know exactly what this vow was about?”

His mother looked at him, tilted her said to the side, and a small smirk that was the perfect copy of Draco’s hit her face, “Naturally.”

“AND YOU AGREED TO IT?” He yelled.

“You’re behaving like a child, Drake” Narcissa cast a silencing charm on the room, turning back to him. “Of course I agreed to it.”

“What? Why?” Draco asked.

“It is quite simple, Draco. After that final battle at Hogwarts, would you expect any less? Your father begged the Dark Lord to get to you, attempted trickery. I did trick the Dark Lord to make sure you were okay. He was standing in our way of our biggest responsibility. Why would we want to prolong his methods, his teaching?”

“It still doesn’t make sense. You want me to marry a muggleborn. It’s quite simple, our family tree is not so pure anyways…”

“Correction, the Black family tree is not perfect. Whereas, the Malfoy side… well, it’s completely pureblood.”

“Grandfather will roll over in his grave.” Draco sighed, sitting behind his desk.

“You’re just not trying” Narcissa suddenly snapped at her son.

“Not trying? Well, no, I’m not.” Draco shrugged.

“How do you know it’s impossible?”

“Well… for one, its Hermione bloody Granger… that pretty well covers it.” Draco
sighed, grabbing some memos and pulling them forward. His mothers’ delicate but firm hand landed on the papers in front of him. He looked up and immediately wished he hadn’t.

“Do not pretend to otherwise occupy yourself, Draco.” She glared at him, her blue eyes brimming with fury. “Your father and I put a great deal of consideration into this prospect; Hermione Granger is the perfect choice. She’s smart, quick to argue with you. You would not do well with a quiet house wife, we all know that. You need someone like her to challenge you every day…”

“Challenge me, yes, but not annoy the living...”

“Watch your mouth, Draco Lucius!” She snapped, “You had better not forget this is your mother you are talking too!”

“Yes, mum”

“As I was saying, She is very smart, very witty. She’s brave also, not to mention Potter’s best friend. Oh stop shuddering like that when I mention him, he saved your life, get over it and move on. Hermione is also a very beautiful witch, you would make a dazzling couple, not to mention the children…”

“Okay mum, first we have to get passed the whole wanting to kill each other thing before we even consider children.” Draco rubbed his temples. A firm knock hit the door. He checked his watch, where was Hermione, anyways? “Enter” He said, glancing at his mother who stood straight, her shoulders pushed back.

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley entered the office. Harry nodded politely at his mother, while Ron merely glanced at her.

“You, we have an issue.” Ron hissed. Ron was in charge of Magical Law Enforcement, he was, sadly, possibly the smartest Head the department had ever encountered.

“Do we?” Draco asked.

“How could let Hermione…” Ron’s face was beet red.

“Go through with it? I had no idea exactly what vow they were making.”

“Excuse me?” Harry said.

“You heard me, Potter. I had no idea, they had talked previously and father made it very subtle. Trust me, I don’t know how I’m going to fall in love with that woman.”

“Watch yourself, Malfoy. The question is how she will fall in love with the likes of you.” Ron hissed.

“Don’t you dare talk to my son that way,” Narcissa glared. Ron took a small step back, away from the women a good 5 inches shorter than him.

“I apologize, Mrs. Malfoy,” Ron said.

“Listen closely, Draco. Find a way to make it work. Woo her, fall in love with her, let her fall in love with you. Don’t you DARE make it impossible! Treat her like a bloody princess! I swear to you, Draco Malfoy, if you cause Hermione to die because of this stupid, unfair, bloody agreement, I will personally kill you.” Harry Potter was dead serious and to be quite truthful, it scared the hell out of Draco.

The air was completely thick, Draco pulled at his tie. He glanced at Ron, who had his arms crossed and was glaring at him. Then he glanced at Harry, whose face was dead set, a no argument look too it. He glanced at his mother, who was still glaring at Ron. Shifting his gaze back to Harry, he sighed, making up his mind.

“Well, we’ll just have to have to help you. No one knows Hermione like Ron and I. Hell, Hermione dated Ron, so he knows how to woo her…”

“But not how to keep her” Ron said, “she’s tricky Malfoy, not easy to please… not high maintenance or anything, she just knows what she wants.”

“Well, hopefully, she wants to stay alive.” Draco drawled, annoyed. Why did he have to do all the work, Hermione was the one who made the Vow.

“I taught you better than that, you are the man in the relationship, you had better show her that you were raised by the Malfoys and that you do have good manners. You are my son, don’t you dare even think like that.” Narcissa glared at him.

“I told you to stop reading my mind, mum. It’s rude.” Draco sighed.

“Well, perhaps if you were blocking me out…

“It’s hard to block out a nagging women.” Draco smirked at his mother who in turn laughed.

“You’re so much like your father.”

“Well, we’re leaving… by the way, where is Hermione?” Harry asked.

“Running late…” Draco looked at his watch again, she was half an hour late.

Suddenly a silver patronus landed on his desk, and in Hermione’s beautiful voice, she said, “Yes, I know I’m late Malfoy, I’m on my way, don’t get your knickers in a twist, be there in twenty.”

When the patronus disappeared, Draco stared at the place it had been. Then Ron and Harry busted up laughing, while his own mother smirked. Draco chuckled slightly.

“Your right, mum, she is rather feisty.” That stopped Ron and Harry from laughing.
They both glared at him before exiting the room, Harry, bidding goodbye to Mrs. Malfoy with a small hug. Draco rose his eyebrows at his mother.

“What?” She said, “I’m going back to the Manor, Draco. We’ll talk when you come home.” She disapparated. Draco shook his head, he may as well have been running late, he didn’t even have any work done.

He set to work, his memos were piling up. Nearly ten minutes later, the door slammed open, and he heard a small ‘hmph’.

He glanced up at her, knowing she expected him to stay silent again. Like every other time she entered their office, the feminine smell that she carried with her over powered every scent in the room.

“Good morning, Hermione.” Draco said, his voice low. She froze in the middle of taking off her cloak. She glanced at Draco, unsure that he had spoken. He couldn’t help the smirk that hit his face as he took in her appearance.

Her face was flushed from the winter air, her hair pulled back into a messy bun. She wore a fitting dress that showed off her figure subtly. He liked that she didn’t show the world her everything. The black cloak contrasted perfectly with her outfit. She looked lovely, but he couldn’t resist the urge to poke fun at her.

He smiled at her, his laughter shining in his eyes, “Rough morning?”

Hermione was running late. Draco was going to kill her. She was running around her apartment, grabbing her coat, almost grabbing her keys and then realizing she wasn’t going to her parents. She cursed herself, looking for her wand, silently cussing the passing time.

“Where the hell is that...” She sighed, taking a deep breath. Holding out her hand, she mumbled “Accio wand”

It flew straight to her hand. She conjured a patronus and sent it off to Draco, smirking at the message she had sent. She ran to the bathroom and sloppily threw up her hair.
Grabbing her black cloak, she looked at her reflection. She was wearing a red dress with red heels underneath. It wasn’t revealing but it did fit her nicely.

“YOUR LATE” Hermione’s watch yelled.

“Oh bloody hell, you stupid thing, I know.” Hermione glared. She made she had her files in her brief case and walked to the fireplace, “MINISTRY OF MAGIC”

She walked into the crowded corridor, keeping her eyes straight.

Walking straight the elevator, she waited patiently, knowing it took awhile to get to her floor. When the cool voice finally announced her arrival, she began walking down the hall.

“Morning, Hermione” She looked at Neville and smiled, not bothering with the greeting process, but simply nodding.
Taking a deep breath, she read the words on her and Draco’s office door.

Draco Malfoy
Head of Aurors

Hermione Granger
Head of Aurors
Second in Command

The text flashed back in forth, and was written out as if a quick notes quill was writing. Hermione sighed, staring at the door. Shaking her head, she walked in. Glancing at Draco, she walked to her desk.

In the middle of taking off her cloak, she heard his low voice, “Good morning, Hermione”.

To say the least, it shocked her into being immobile for a few moments. She looked at Draco, as he examined her, with icy blue eyes that made her lick her lips. “Rough day?”

She glared at him, taking her cloak off the rest of the way. “You know, I think I preferred the silent treatment.”

He laughed and Hermione froze again, after sitting down. “It was getting boring.”
“You know, of all days you choose to talk to me, its when I’m completely annoyed with you.”

“I didn’t do anything?” Draco smiled. He stood and crossed their office, Hermione watched him walk across the hardwood floor, and lean against her desk. She waved him away, wrinkling her nose.

“Personal space, heard of it?”

“We’re destined to be together forever, Hermione. You saw to that, so, sorry, no more personal space.” She glared at him, angry he was using the vow against her.

“Well, forever hasn’t started yet, so would you kindly move.” She pushed at him, and found him hard to move. He was like a brick wall of muscle. Tall, lean and gorgeous muscles… she narrowed her eyes.

“And you said my knickers were in a twist? What’s with the attitude?”

“Oh nothing to concern yourself with, besides the fact that the Harry, Ginny, Ron and even Luna aren’t talking to me” She sighed.

“Why?”

“Because of you, obviously” Hermione hissed through gritted teeth.

“I had no say in it!” Draco through his hands up, “And yet, I’m still blamed.”

“Ugh, get off my desk ferret!”

“That’s not nice, Hermione”

“Today is not the day” Hermione glared at him. “You have less than a minute to remove yourself from my area…”

“And if I don’t” Draco whispered, leaning towards Hermione. Her heart beat picked up, she could feel the bindings of the curse making her heart race.

“I’ll punch you again.” Hermione smirked.

“I’m not a 13 year old boy anymore, Granger”

“I noticed” She muttered.

“What was that?”

“I said, get the bloody hell off my desk, Draco” She pointed her wand at him, and
huffed in irritation when he grabbed it right of her grasp. “Give it back.”

“Aurors 101 Hermione, never be within reach so that person can grab your wand.” He smiled, “Especially when you’re going against a seeker.”

“Who had his arse handed to him in every match by my best friend. Now give me my bloody wand.”

“Potter’s a good seeker, it’s not my fault that he was the blessed one.” Draco was enjoying this, Hermione could tell.

“Would you stop acting like a 12 year old.”

“I thought I was supposed to be 13.” He smiled. Hermione narrowed her eyes.

“Five seconds” She hissed.

“What are you on about?”

“Two” She hissed.

“What-“

“Give me my bloody wand” She lurched at him, and Draco was not expecting it as he toppled backward, Hermione on top of him. They began wrestling for her wand, Draco’s laughter in her ear. Suddenly they let their match get more serious.

Hermione had him pinned, until he reached between her legs and flipped her, pushing himself on top, he pointed her wand at her and she glared at him. Grabbing his fore arm, she used her forearm of her free hand to press against his neck, arching her back and throwing him off of her. He landed in a perfect crouch, as she got to her feet, kicking off her heels.

Smiling at him, she didn’t care that she was wearing a dress, this was possibly the most fun she’d had recently, suddenly, she was glad her hair was pulled back. He narrowed his eyes, pointing his wand and shouting a stunning spell, she moved quickly.

She laughed as she twirled from his attacks, enjoying herself immensely.

Hermione was beautiful, her laughter echoing in our office. He’d never seen a woman more graceful, more like a hunter then prey. He couldn’t help smiling, throwing, another curse, watching her avoid it with ease. She faced him and for a second time that day, he lost his breath.

In that split second, he saw her beautiful brown eyes shining, laughter in them. Her hair had fallen lose, her face was flushed, and she was moving quickly, taking advantage of the hesitation on his part, she tackled him.

Swiftly moving her hands to grab not only her wand but his as well, she pointed his wand a mere inches from his own throat, and then had her wand pulled back as if she was going to throw at punch, but aiming right for his heart.

“Game and point” She smirked. Draco laughed, not being able to hold it in. She was brilliant.

“Okay, you win” he held his hands up, smiling; he could see the mischief in her eyes reflected from his own. He felt her curves pressed against him and he secretly enjoyed it, “But as much as I love the fact that you’re a woman who likes being on top, I think we should get back to work now.”

The blush that hit her cheeks nearly drove him over the edge, almost causing him to kiss her, but she moved swiftly off of him. Pulling down her dress, and fixing her hair, she glanced down at him. Then she held out her hand.

In that moment, he saw truth.

She was his partner. She was in every way his equal.

He grabbed her hand she pulled him up with impossible strength. They stood, staring at each other. She was good three or four inches shorter than him. He watched her bite her lower lip, looking into his eyes.

Those brown eyes grabbed him in that moment. He almost pulled her close, almost tried to kiss her.

Then the door banged open, and in walked Harry Potter, “Malfoy, what the hell is up with this case.” He wasn’t looking up and they both pulled away from each other, harshly. It was that he looked up, seeing their flushed expressions, and then seeing the torn apart office. Hermione blushed, murmuring a spell to set the office right.

“I did, of course” Hermione smiled, walking past Harry, suddenly remembering that Harry had walked away from her, when she had confessed what was happening. She instantly stiffened, folding her arms and glaring at Harry. “Can we help you” Her voice was cold, and it slightly scared Draco.

“About last night…” Harry started.

“Not interested.” She said, “We’ll think about talking about it later”

“It was just…”

“Er… I wouldn’t press it Potter” Draco found himself saying.

“But… Hermione…”

“Don’t talk to me.” She hissed, moving to her desk and firmly ignoring her best friend. Draco gave Harry an annoyed look, he had put Hermione in a better mood, and now? Well now she was more pissed off then before.

Draco looked at Harry. He nodded, as Harry spun on his heel and walked away. He heard Hermione huff in the corner.

“Yes?” He asked.

“Nothing, I’m going to talk to Neville about a case we’ve been working on. Don’t wait up” She glared, walking past him. She slammed the door and Draco flinched. It was becoming a habit of hers to storm out of their office.

Sitting down at his own desk, he looked at the file Harry had brought.

His mums’ name looked up at him. Where it had said ‘Guilty by association’ they’re a new, shining lettering right over the top of it, ‘Proven innocent, Harry Potter, Minister of Magic’.

Pulling out the drawer that contained all of his fathers’ case working, he slipped his mothers file right on top. He shut the door and was about to lock it when he realized he didn’t have his wand.

“Damn you Granger” He walked over to her desk, only to see a small sticky note with a smiley face.

AURORS 101:
Never let your wand out of your sight.

Draco couldn’t help the small laugh at how clever she was, but he spun on the spot, seeking out Hermione Granger and his bloody wand.

O.o. how I like this chapter. It made me smile, I'm pleased with it. I hope you all like it.

Merry Christmas to you all, in case I don't get another chapter posted before the queue is closed!

"Everyone at HPFF, you daft man. Really, no wonder you broke up with him Granger."

"Don't start Malfoy." All three men pointed their wands at each other while Hermione shouted Protego.

"Now, say it." Hermione glared.

"Happy Christmas to you all." They grumbled. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Sorry about them, they're men, you know? Happy Christmas and keep reading, I'll try to keep these guys away from each other so we can finish the story. Don't forget to review, even if the author is slightly crazy."

"Excuse me, but I hold your futures in my quill"

"Oh... sorry then."

"Happy Christmas" They all are smiling at you, Hermione's not sticking her tongue out at Draco, who is definately glaring at her. Ron is not trying to steal one of Hermione's treacle tarts and Harry isn't working on giving Ron an exact replica of the tail that Hagrid put on Dudley his first year... well... perhaps he is judging by Ron's expression when they all busted up laughing at him.

Honestly, even as their writer, i can't control them, J.K. is essentially an amazing women... how she controlled these characters I'll never know.